A blog where I express my opinions on smoking issues, including smokers rights issues.

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Monday, February 16, 2009

Driver gets ticket for smoking in car with minor, but the teen smokes herself!

The funny thang about this guy getting a ticket for smoking in a car with a minor is his daughta smokes herself. And in my eyes, a 15 year-old ain't a kid anymore. That teen is more like a young lady.

I wonder what would happen if a smoke cop saw the driver AND the "minor" both smoking in the car.

Oh yeah, why is this article in the "crime" section? Smoking a legal product in a car with a minor who smokes herself is part of life to me, not a literal crime.

EDIT: I will correct myself. That young lady ain't his daughta. But it would be interesting to see a dad's reaction if he and his own teen daughta (or son) are both smoking in a car and he gets pulled over.

A smoke cop would have to be prepared for anythang if he tried pulling a driver over near me for smoking in a car with a minor, regardless if that minor is a smoker and/or is actually related with the driver.

PORT HOPE–The latest case of an Ontario driver nabbed by police for smoking in a car carrying a minor is raising eyebrows about the new law.

A 20-year-old Port Hope, Ont., man has been ticketed for smoking in a car in which a 15-year-old girl was one of his passengers.

While Tory Ashton was waiting for his $155 ticket, the girl – a smoker herself – got out of the car and legally lit up a cigarette of her own.

The provincial politician representing the riding says this may represent a glitch in the law and wants it be examined.

Liberal Lou Rinaldi is asking for a meeting with the province's health promotions minister later this week to find ways to improve the fledgling law.

Rinaldi says one improvement might be changing the age limit on how young the passenger has to be for the smoking ban to kick in.

"In 99.9 per cent of cases, the legislation is doing the job," he said. However he described as a "glitch" the scenario where a 20-year-old could be fined for smoking while his 15-year-old passenger could stand by the side of the road and light up.

There is no law prohibiting a 15-year-old from smoking. It is only illegal to purchase or sell tobacco to anyone under 19 years of age.

The law, which took effect last month, is designed to shield children from highly concentrated levels of nicotine while they are being driven in cars.

Rinaldi, who represents the Northumberland-Quinte West riding in eastern Ontario, also said he'd like to discuss the law with Port Hope police to see what challenges they've had in enforcing it.

Statistics on how many charges have been laid since the law's inception Jan. 21 won't be available for several weeks.

But reports have surfaced about people being fined, including separate incidents involving a 29-year-old Sarnia-area woman and a 53-year-old Kingston man. Both where nabbed at RIDE spot checks which normally check to see if a driver has been drinking.